Can opener



' B. L. LEWIS Get 28, 1947.

CAN OPENER Filed July 29, 1946v can-openers.

Patented Oct. 28, 1947 CAN OPENER,

Bruce L. Lewis, North Hills, Pa., assignor to J. B. Hudson, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 29, 1946, Serial No. 686,818

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in The ordinary can-opener of today is of such construction that when in use, and the lid of the particular canto be opened is completely severed about the periphery of the top thereof, the said lid will fall within the body of the can and into the contents thereof, thereby causing a possible contamination of the said contents by the introduction of deleterious materials therein, and also preventing ready access to the contents of such can.

Further, the construction here envisioned provides a novel means for overcoming the usual hand pressure, as found in many present day can-openers, exerted on an opener to force the cutting blade into the lid of the can.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means, preferably magnetic, whereby the lid of a can, upon its complete severance from the body of said can, will be prevented from falling into the can and thereby contaminating the contents thereof, or impeding the ready withdrawal of said contents from said can, and also to overcome the likelihood of cutting the operator of the opener in his attempt to retrieve the lid from the inside of said can.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a can-opener that will operate by novel means to force its cutting blade into cutting position within the lid of a can, without the necessity of manual pressure being exerted thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for adjusting the can with relation to the can-opener so that said can may be held in cutting position by one hand, leaving the operators other hand free to rotate the crank handle which in turn rotates the can.

A still further object of this invention is to provide adjustable means whereby the can will be constantly maintained in an upright position to guard against the spilling over of the contents within said can during the operation of the canopener.

Further objects and features of novelty will appear in the following description and in the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a device constructed and adapted to operate in accordance with the principles of the present invention and attached to an upright member ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan View showing the can-guiding means, an element of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the invention taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, in describing this invention, a bracket member l is adapted to be attached to a wall or similar structure by any suitable means. The bracket l is furnished with a head member la as a part thereof, said head member having over-hanging shoulders 2222 against which the top edge of a can is adapted to bear when in operative position. Within said head member la is rotatably mounted a shaft 2, at one end of which is fixed a serrated wheel 3 and at the other end of which is fixed a hub member 4, attached thereto as by a pin member 5. Attached to the hub member 4 is a crank member 6, as by screws '|-'l. The crank 6 comprises a lever-arm 8 and a handle member 9, saidhandle being pivotally attached thereto by any suitable means. A cam member IE is loosely mounted on said shaft 2 adjacent the inner face of the hub member 4. Pivotally mounted within said head member Ia at 24, and adapted to overlie the shaft member 2 and the serrated wheel 3, is a lever member I I, said lever member comprising at its one end a foot member I2, said lever member ll being adapted to be rocked by contact of the foot member l2 bearing on the rotating cam member l0. At the other end of said lever member I I is mounted a cutting wheel or blade member l3, attached as by a rivet I l. Attached at the tip of said lever member II, as by screws [5-45, is a magnet member J6.

Attached to the under side of the head member Ia, as by a screw I1, is an adjustable guide member I8.

The crank 6 and the cam H! are adapted to be under certain circumstances by ratcheting means comprising a spring detent l9 set within the hub member 4 and adapted to engage an inclined tooth 20 on the adjacent face of the cam 10.

In operation, a can C is placed with its upper edge under the over-hanging shoulders 2222 of the head member la, in an upright position, with the under side of the top bead c of the can resting on the top side of the serrated wheel 3 and with the side portion of the can below the bead c resting against the adjustable guide member Hi, the serrated edge or face of wheel 3 being in driving contact with the lower edge of the head 0 of the said can C. With the can in this position the crank 6 is rotated in counter-clockwise direction, whereby the spring detent I9 is turned and comes in contact with the inclined tooth 2a to rotate the cam [0. By continuing the rotation of said crank 6 the cam member Ill is rotated, thereby raising the foot member if of the lever H and causing a rocking motion of said lever. As a result of the rocking motion of the lever l l, the cutting blade 13 is forced downwardly into the top of the said can C. When the cutting blade I3 is placed in this cutting position by the cam l0 rocking the lever member H, the crank 63 is then rotated in an opposite or clockwise direction to disconnect the detent Hi from the tooth 20 of the cam H), leaving said cam in a stationary position holding the cutting blade l3 in said cutting position. By the same rocking motion of the lever I l the magnet member i6 is brought into operative position overlying the lid 0' of said cam 0. Then, when the crank 6 is operated further in a clockwise direction, the spring detent thereby riding over the inclined tooth, such motion will operate the serrated wheel member 3. By the rotation of the serrated wheel, when the crank handle is rotated in said clockwise direction, the can which abuts said wheel is rotated and the cutting wheel I3, being in its operative position, will out along the top edge of the can as shown in Fig. 3. By continuing this rotation of the serrated wheel 3, a complete severance of the lid will result so that at the moment of complete severance the lid will be free to be immediately drawn upwardly by the magnet member it thus preventing said lid from falling into the contents of the can and contaminating said contents, or preventin the ready withdrawal thereof from the can. When complete severance of the lid has taken place the crank will be again rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, opposite from that in which the can was being cut, so that the cam it) will be rotated'until all pressure is relieved from the foot member E2 of the lever i B, At the moment of release of this upper pressure on the earn it on the foot 52, a sprin member 23 causes the lever ll to rock back into its dormant position, carrying with it and lifting upwardly the blade member it, so that it is out of a cutting position, and the magnet member it which will lift the lid upwardly from the can. At this point the can may be removed from adjacent the serrated wheel 3 and the guide member if! and is ready for use.

In order to compensate for slight variations in the over-all thickness of the bead-edge c of the can C, the serrated wheel 3 is permitted slight axial movement. For this purpose, a spring washer or star spring 25 is mounted on the shaft 2 intermediate the serrated wheel 3 and the U- shaped frame Ia.

In order to insure rotation of the cutter-wheel IS, the peripheral surface Elia of the hub of said wheel is serrated to engage the upper edge of the bead c. The lever H will press the serrated face Ito of the hub of the cutter-wheel [3 into sufiiciently firm contact with the can head 0 to insure the rotation of the cutter l3 as the can C is being rotated by the serrated wheel 3.

In order to avoid breakage or straining of the lever l I, should difficulty be encountered in causing the cutter-wheel E3 to penetrate the end 0 of the can C, a heavy leaf spring 25 is provided on the underside of lever H to engage the peripheral surface of the cam it]. The spring 26 is sufficiently stiff to function normally as an integral part of the lever ll without flexing. However, should diificulty be encountered as noted, the spring 26 will yield when the cam ill is rotated to effect penetration of the can lid 0', thus preventing the breaking or straining of the lever l and the parts connected therewith.

Iclaim:

1. A can-opener comprising a rotatably mounted shaft, a serrated wheel fixed on one end of said shaft to support and rotate a can, a crank handle fixed on the opposite end of said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted above said shaft, a cutting blade mounted on one end of said lever, a foot member formed on the opposite end of said lever, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank handle and adapted to engage said foot member to rock said lever and force said cutting blade into the top of a can supported by said serrated wheel, and ratcheting means associated with said crank handle and said cam whereby said cam will be rotated and will force said blade into said can when the crank handle is rotated in one direction, and said cam will remain stationary during rotation of the crank handle in the opposite direction.

2. A can-opener comprising a rotatably mounted shaft, a serrated wheel fixed on one end of said shaft to support and rotate a can, a crank handle fixed on the opposite end of said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted above said shaft, a cuttin blade mounted on one end of said lever.

-a foot member formed on the opposite end of said lever, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank handle and adapt ed to engage said foot member to rock said lever and force said cutting blade into the top of a can supported by said serrated wheel, ratcheting means associated with said crank handle and said cam whereby said cam will be rotatedand will force said blade into said can when the crank handle is rotated in one direction, and said cam will remain stationary during rotation of the crank handle in the opposite direction, and a magnet member attached to the cutting blade and of said lever adapted to be rocked by said lever into an operative position above the lid of said can and into a lid-retaining position clear of said can when the severance is completed.

3. A. can-opener comprising a rotatably mounted shaft, a serrate-d wheel fixed on one end of said shaft to support and rotate a can, a crank handle fixed on the opposite end of said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted above said shaft, a cutting blade mounted on one end of said lever, a foot member formed on the opposite end of said lever, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank handle and adapted to engage said foot member to rock said lever and force said cutting blade into the top of a can supported by said serrated wheel, ratcheting means associated with said crank handle and said cam whereby said cam will be rotated and will force said blade into said can when the crank handle is rotated in one direction, and said cam will remain stationary during rotation of the crank handle in the opposite direction, a magnet member attached to the cutting blade end of said lever adapted to be rocked by said' ed shaft, a serrated Wheel fixed on one end of said shaft to support and rotate a can, a crank handle fixed on the opposite end of said. shaft and including a hub member, a lever pivotally mounted above said shaft, a cutting blade mounted on one end of said lever, a foot member formed on the opposite end of said lever, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank handle and adapted to engage said foot member to rock said lever and force said cutting blade into the top of a can supported by said serrated wheel, and ratcheting means associated with said crank handle and said cam, comprising a spring detent set in the hub member of said crank handle and an inclined tooth set on the side of the cam adjacent said crank handle, said inclined tooth being adapted to be engaged by said spring detent whereby the said cam is set in rotary motion and will force said blade into said can when the crank handle is rotated in one direction, and said cam will re main stationary during rotation of the crank handle in the opposite direction.

5. A can-opener comprising a rotatably mounted shaft, bearing means supporting said shaft,

a serrated wheel fixed at one end of said shaft adjacent said bearing means to support and rotate a can, resilient means mounted on said shaft intermediate the said serrated wheel and the bear-- ing means for said shaft, a crank handle fixed on the opposite end of said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted above said shaft, a cutting blade mounted on one end of said lever, a foot member formed on the opposite end of said lever, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank handle and adapted to engage said foot member to rock said lever and force said cutting blade into the top of a can supported by said serrated wheel, and ratcheting means associated with said crank handle and said cam whereby said cam will be rotated and will force said blade into said can when the crank handle is rotated in one direction, and said cam will remain stationary during rotation of the crank handle in the opposite direction.

6, A can-opener comprising a rotatably mounted shaft, a serrated wheel fixed on one end of said shaft to support and rotate a can, a crank handle fixed on the opposite end of said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted above said shaft, a cutting blade mounted on one end of said lever, a serrated peripheral surface on said cut ting blade, a foot member formed on the opposite end of said lever, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank handle and adapted to engage said foot member to rock said lever and force said cutting blade into the top of a can supported by said serrated wheel, and ratcheting means associated with said crank handle and said cam whereby said cam will be rotated and will force said blade into said can when the crankhandle is rotated in one direction, and said cam will remain stationary during rotation of the crank handle in the opposite direction,

7. A can-opener comprising a rotatably mount ed shaft, a serrated wheel fixed on one end of said shaft to support and rotate a can, a crank handle fixed on the opposite end of said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted above said shaft, a cutting blade mounted on one end of said lever, a foot member formed on the opposite end of said lever, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank handle and adapted to engage said foot member to rock said lever and force said cutting blade into the top of a can supported by said serrated Wheel, a heavy leaf spring mounted on said lever and projecting between the peripheral surface of said cam member and the underside of said foot member, and ratcheting means associated with said crank handle and said cam whereby said cam will be rotated and will force said blade into said can when the crank handle is rotated in one direction, and said cam will remain stationary during rotation of the crank handle in the opposite direction.

BRUCE L. LEWIS.

Name Date Murdock Feb. 21, 1939 Number 

